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Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Stoat Kits

We are all very excited here at the centre, as we have stoat babies in the hedgerow!

Last year a young wild stoat came to us which had been caught by a cat... she was in a bad way, and Katie took on the job of looking after her. After much care she survived, but became too friendly to release and so we offered her a home here in our hedgerow.

Last week I was washing windows, and heard a squeaking noise... and rushing over to the stoat pen, saw "Dorris" carrying two of her kits down a hole in a log. From the size of them I am guessing they are about four weeks old. Their eyes are still closed, but they have started to wean and nibble on solid food.

Having not been with a male stoat here, is it still not a great surprise that she was pregnant as they do have delayed implantation. Female stoats reproductive system develops very quickly form birth, and often a male will go into a nest site and mate with the females kits when they are still very young!

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Head Keeper

Hello I'm Matt. Welcome to my Keeper's Blog where you will be kept up to date with the comings and goings of the British Wildlife Centre all year round.This blog will be regularly updated with news, photos and videos of the animals that live here at the Centre and as always I would be pleased to hear of any comments you have on this blog and the British Wildlife Centre.